Fluffy Crust Rules at One-Man Pizza Pop-Up Nano's Pi

Daniel Hernandez is a self-proclaimed nerd who had his sights set on medical school. But when his applications were rejected in January, he found himself unsure of what to do next and made a quick pivot. "I bought my Ooni the next day. I filed for the LLC the next week. I started an Instagram and just went from there," Hernandez recalls. By April, he'd quietly launched his one-man pizza pop-up, Nano Pi's, named for his pizza-loving mini dachshund.

Denver has a competitive pizza scene that spans many styles. Nano Pi's focuses on airy Neapolitan-style crusts, and Hernandez blends academic rigor, culinary curiosity, and a love of community into every 10-inch pie.

Hernandez grew up in Buda, Texas, a small town about fifteen miles from Austin. After high school, "I moved out of the parents' house and I think you go one of two routes when you leave the nest. You either become an expert in fast food or you learn how to cook. So, I started learning how to cook," he explains. "I started learning to cook with my brother — specifically pizza."
That early interest in cooking deepened during his time at the University of North Texas, where the student union's Italian restaurant featured a wood-fired clay oven. "I don't come from a rich family, so I had to work and go to school at the same time. The student union had a Taco Bell, a Burger King, and then this really nice Italian restaurant. So, that's where I first got my initial, 'this is how you start a fire in the oven. This is how you cook pizza in here,' and that was my real connection to pizza," recalls Hernandez.

He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of North Texas and another in microbiology from Texas State University but his turn from academics to culinary arts was inspired by the pizzaiolos he followed on Instagram — especially those who specialized in making pies with airy crusts that are light and digestible.

"There's a lot of good pizza in Denver, but I wasn't seeing that big, airy crust that I'm trying to produce here. I mean, there are people doing it here, it's just not a predominant style in Denver. So I figured, let me give this a try. I have a pizza background. That's why I got the Ooni, I think I can sell food," explains Hernandez.

One week after his oven arrived, Hernandez announced his plans on Instagram and began pitching pop-ups to local breweries. "I've got to shout out Chris Lane at Renegade Brewing because he gave me my first opportunity. I emailed him with the subject line 'New Kid on the Block' and tried to sell my pitch over email. He gave me a shot, and on April 17, I had my first pop-up. I think I sold about fifteen dough balls. I didn't know my ass from my elbow that day, but it was great," says Hernandez.
Since then, Nano's Pi has grown slowly and steadily. Hernandez now books multiple dates each week, aiming to operate four to five days consistently. His dough, a 48- to 60-hour process using Italian Caputo flour, yields a crust that is light, airy, chewy and deeply flavorful. "I really try to follow the Neapolitan classic style as much as possible," he says. Everything is 100 percent Caputo. I do a 24-hour poolish and then a 24-hour cold bulk fermentation. When people are eating it, they're probably eating a 60-hour dough. Super hydrated, it's either 75 percent or above," Hernandez explains.

Nano's Pi features a core menu of classics like cheese, margherita, pepperoni and serrano pizzas. Hernandez prides himself on using imported meats and cheeses, and he finishes each pie with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. He is also experimenting with specials. "I'm coming out with a limoncello pie soon. It's going to be all of the traditional cheeses," he says. "Then I want to saute chicken with rosemary, thyme, lemon, garlic, finishing it in a lemoncello butter sauce. I'll top it with a whipped ricotta with burnt serrano, lemon zest and honey, and place a crisp chicken skin chicharron fried in duck fat on top."

"I don't just want to be a pop-up or do a food truck. I want to go straight for a brick and mortar," he says of his future plans. "The day I got my rejection letter, I wrote a full menu. Appetizers, pizzas, everything. I know it sounds cocky, but I want a restaurant."

Until then, Hernandez is focused on refining his craft and building connections. "I want people to know they're getting something authentic," he notes. "If you've been to Naples, I want you to take a bite and say, 'Yeah, I've had this before.' Or if you haven't, I want to bring Italy to you."

To find Nano's Pi, follow it on Instagram @nanos_pi, where Hernandez posts the truck's schedule along with other stories and occasional pizza experiments. He also offers private pizza-making classes for groups or individuals.